


Dragon Watching

by calikocat



Series: Dragon Verse [26]
Category: 55 Degrees North, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Dragons, F/M, Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 14:36:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6474286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calikocat/pseuds/calikocat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A grimace came over the young woman's face, lines forming on her olive skin.  “I've always wondered how that man came to be a Watcher.  He's completely incompetent.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dragon Watching

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: 55 Degrees North and Buffy the Vampire Slayer do not belong to me. Thomas, however, is an original character. ^^
> 
> A/N: Yay! Its the beginning of Dragon Verse Europe!

Dragon Watching  
calikocat  
Word count: 5080

 

Erol Hill  


Dominic 'Nicky' Cole  


Matty Cole  
[](https://imgbb.com/)

Georgina Hodge  
[](https://imgbb.com/)

XXX

“Sir? Is something wrong?”

Quentin Travers looked up from the paperwork he'd been reviewing, his eyes catching sight of his assistant. “No, just reviewing the most recent report from Mr. Proctor in New Castle.”

A grimace came over the young woman's face, lines forming on her olive skin. “I've always wondered how that man came to be a Watcher. He's completely incompetent.”

“Not entirely, he has a good sense when it comes to magic, even if he can't cast spells himself.”

“Yes but-”

“He's part of a legacy, his father and grandfather were both Watchers of notable skill and character. His grandfather died in the line of duty, and his father has been retired for some time.”

“I didn't mean to-” She paused and changed tactics. “You knew them both, sir?”

“Yes. His grandfather, Thomas Proctor the First, was still teaching when I went through the academy and his father is a friend.”

“Of course sir.”

“No need to frown so; we all know the reason Thomas the Third is in New Castle.”

She finally smiled, a bit of smirk really. “Because nothing ever happens in New Castle?”

“Quite so.”

xxx

He had transferred out of London as fast as he could, wanting to put it all behind him. Nicky didn't regret his decision, he'd do it again, but after turning over his commanding officer there was no place for him in London anymore. So he transferred. To New Castle.

Nicky went ahead of Errol and Matty, staying in a hotel for a bit while he looked for a place between shifts and sleep. He was placed on the night shift and was called out to all manner of crime scenes and that was wearing on him within a week. Finding the house he did was a blessing, it was next to the water, and something Errol would approve of. The house was better than living out of a suitcase in a hotel.

Then there was the big move, all of their belongings shipped by truck from London to New Castle. Last to arrive was Errol and Matty. He'd missed his uncle and nephew, the new house wasn't home until they walked in the door.

New Castle was smaller than London, he wasn't sure yet if that was good, bad, an improvement, or just different. Despite the petty racism he dealt with daily from his coworkers, and there was quite a bit of it, him being the only black cop in the city, he had high hopes for the move and the City.

Perhaps the change would do them all good.

xxx

Errol had gotten a glimpse of her the day he and Matty joined Nicky at the house in New Castle. Clear blue eyes and golden hair so light that one could hardly tell where the blond ended and the white began. Both her eyes and hair reminded him of the sea and sand of the islands he'd once called home. She wasn't quite his age but not far from it, and still quite the beauty. All that he'd gotten from a glimpse and committed it to memory, as if he knew it would be important later. That she would have some great impact on his life.

It just didn't happen right away.

 

They had been settled for a few weeks when she approached. Matty was at school and Nicky was sleeping before he went to work. She was at the back gate with a terse “Hello. Hello, over here.” He'd turned to look over his shoulder and rose from the cold frame full of seedlings he'd been tending.

“Hello! I've seen you but I don't think we've met. Errol Hill.”

Her face was fierce. “I know we haven't met. Do you have to punch that thing every mornin'?”

Ah, she'd heard him at the punching bag. He kept his smile up. “No I don't have to, but I like to.”

“It wakes me up.”

She wasn't a fan of his morning workout with the bag. “It does the same for me.”

“Its gonna be like this is it?”

“Yes?” She turned and walked away. “Nice to have met you!”

“We still haven't met!” She yelled back.

His smile brightened and he went back to work. Their new neighbor was interesting. It wasn't until later that night that he found out just how interesting.

xxx

He had fallen asleep while reading; soft jazz played on the stereo and Matty was out cold in his own room when he heard the first knock. 

“Gina!”

Errol opened his eyes. Gina? They're lovely neighbor perhaps?

“Let us in luv!”

An unfamiliar man's voice and then more knocking. Perhaps she was married. Too bad. More knocking and then she spoke.

“Alan, go home!”

That got him out of bed; she sounded genuinely upset. Errol put on his robe and headed out back to check things out.

“You're drunk.”

“What's the matter? Just let me in.”

He opened the back gate and stepped into the alley between the houses. “Hello?”

The man, Alan he assumed, looked over at him. “Who're you?”

“Just the neighbor.”

“Piss off!”

He walked toward them, watching with growing unease as she pushed Alan away from her. “Go home to your wife you lying son-of-a-bitch.”

Alan raised his hand to smack her...and Errol...he only meant to stop him...but one second he was stepping toward them and the next Alan was flying up and out toward the river. There was a distant splash followed by a cough and a round of cursing. The man would be fine.

He'd changed. Something he thought he was too old to achieve, but here he stood in the alley between their homes, towering over her. His lovely neighbor blinked up at him, he was taller than both houses now and barely fit between them. The lady took it in stride; perhaps too happy that the lying Alan was no longer a problem to care that he'd turned into a dragon.

Errol was afraid to move; he didn't want to damage either house and hoped his tail hadn't taken out the fence and back gate. She smiled a little. “Did I hear a splash?”

“Yes. He's alive...I didn't aim to kill him.”

She held up her hand to him. “My name's Georgina Hodge, nice to meet you.”

Errol carefully moved his right hand, now full of claws, and accepted the handshake. The moment they touched he changed back. “Hello Georgina. I'm Errol Hill.”

“And you're a dragon.”

“That I am.”

“I guess we should talk. Get to know each other better.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

 

They stuck to their plan and talked for an hour or so, there was no rush, and they had a few days before they'd have to bond. And while she'd not been frightened, she hadn't known the particulars of dragon bonds. He told her all he knew and included the deadline and while they had only just met she wouldn't let him die. They'd bond the next day but keep their own company at night so they could slowly get to know one another.

 

So the next morning she was over bright and early for a lesson with the punching bag. They were in full swing when Nicky came home, Errol heard him drive up and walk around the house. His nephew stared at him with an amused smile.

“Hey Nicky. I met the neighbor, Georgina.”

Georgina threw a smile at Nicky. “Hi.”

Nicky smiled bigger. “Hi...just met her then?”

“You know exactly what happened, I can tell by looking at you. Wipe that smirk off your face.”

The smirk stayed. “Welcome to the family Georgina.”

“Thank you. There are some croissants in the kitchen if you want one.”

“Cheers.” He went inside and Errol was glad Nicky could sense the change in him and didn’t need an explanation. It had been rather awkward telling Matty why things felt different.

 

Much later, after he'd walked Matty to school and Nicky was fast asleep, he joined Georgina for tea...and got to know her even better. And when the bond clicked into place...the completeness they felt was everything it was supposed to be and he hoped one day his boys could find their soulmates as well.

xxx

Thomas Proctor III knew he'd been a joke at the academy. He'd ranked all but last in his class in both his studies and combat. His only saving grace had been magic. He had a knack for it...not in casting it but in sensing it. He could tell when large spells had been cast at 20 km away and small spells as far as 10 km away. And as long as he left his own magical signature around the border of whatever city or town he was living in he could sense magical or demonic beings in his “territory”. 

Currently his territory was New Castle, England and he knew every non-human being in the city. Perhaps not by name, but definitely by sight. The handful of clans, demonic and otherwise, were mostly peaceful, but on occasion they became at odds with one another and requested him to act as a go between. Sometimes there were even disputes within clans that he was asked to help with. Once he even acted as a marriage councilor; which was odd, but everything worked out in the end.

His acceptance by the local non-humans was one of the reasons he'd kept his post. The Watchers Council didn't want to cause a disturbance with the locals by replacing him with a higher ranking Watcher. The clan heads and others had made it clear; they would accept no other Watcher in New Castle. Besides no one else wanted such a mediocre position, the only station more boring than New Castle, was Cardiff, which was voted most boring place in the United Kingdom ten years running.

So while he got a few jabs about his crap position it fit him and he loved the city. He'd pick New Castle over London every time. It was home.

 

He'd been at his post for three years when, for the first time, something truly interesting happened.

 

It was late and he'd been sound asleep, his young house guests were tucked away in the spare bedroom, when he felt it. A wave of power. It was a flash that momentarily surprised him. It was enough to make him fall out of bed anyway; and enough to make the toddlers in the next room wake with a series of cries. Babysitting demon spawn was not for the faint of heart.

He managed to get the little tykes settled back down, each with a sippy cup of warm cow’s blood which put them right to sleep...only then did he start investigating.

He left messages by phone and emailed all his contacts, knowing he and his temporary charges weren't the only ones to have felt whatever it was. And that was the kicker. It had been magic, but none that he'd recognized, no spell he was familiar with fit the bill. It hadn't been dark, or particularly light, nor had it been a protection spell. He was at a loss; he'd never expected to come across new magic in a place like New Castle.

 

The next morning the mother of the three little spawn he was watching arrived unexpectedly. She too had felt the magic and felt uncomfortable not having the tykes at home with unfamiliar magic about. And she agreed, she'd never felt anything like it. She did, however, stay for breakfast; he certainly wasn't going to drink all that cow's blood in his fridge and it would go bad before too long.

As soon as they left his phone started ringing, everyone returning his messages...and letting him know the clan heads were meeting to discuss the late night occurrence.

 

The meeting took place on an upper floor above a pub that one of the clans owned, as it always did. Some entered the building through the cellar from old tunnels; others came through the back door. Thomas came through the back like he normally did and went up the stairs to the meeting room.

Things were in full swing when he walked in many arguing about what or who could have caused the magic. Gerald Tofterhagen waved at him; he was the head of the SpearWalk clan, a clan of mixed blood demons who could pass for human except for the little row of horns they had in place of eyebrows. Some of the younger ones did pass, actually; by pretending the horns were surgical implants since humans did that sort of thing all the time.

“Morning, Thomas.”

“And to you Gerry. Don't suppose you've come to any conclusions?”

“It wasn't a typical spell casting.”

He nodded. “I could have told you that.” 

The room quieted at his words and another clan head, Sprot, blinked his six eyes at him. “Wasn't demon magic...”

“Wasn't human magic either,” He told them.

“What about the Fair Folk?” Someone else asked.

He frowned. “I've only met one and that was in the country...there aren't any fae in New Castle are there?”

“One lives at the bottom of the Tyne, another in the *Castle. She likes to give tourists a fright now and then.” Gerry grinned, a mouth full of teeth. “They keep to themselves though.”

Thomas set aside that bit of information to process later. “None of the Elders recognized it?” There was a shaking of heads and a following silence.

Then one Elder, Ellinae, a creature of solid shadows, slithered forward; her eyes like blinking galaxies. “There are more things in this world than demons and the Fair. Old things.”

Thomas frowned, not sure what she meant and he said as much. “There aren't any Old Ones left Ellinae and every Ascension has been stopped...or else the transformation was halted. Even in Sunnydale the Slayer Buffy Summers stopped the most recent one.”

“Old Ones are demons. There are other things. Things that are returning. Guardians.” 

Thomas felt a chill go through him. “Oh. I'll check into that then.”

She nodded, or seemed to. “Will you tell your council?”

“Not until I'm sure of anything.” He thought she smiled at him but he wasn't positive.

“When you hear from your mother, give her my best.”

Thomas could only stare and nod. He didn't think anyone but his father and himself had known her identity. “I will.” Then Ellinae blended with the shadows of the room and slithered away, soon her presence dissipated completely.

Sprot shuddered. “Damn scary old thing.”

“Useful though.” Gerry laughed, probably to hide his own tremors. It was true though, Ellinae's kind had one food requirement. The nightmares of others. No one liked having those after all. “Thomas? You alright?”

“I'm fine.”

Gerry gave him a look and it was plain he didn't believe that. “I didn't know Ellinae was a family friend.”

“Neither did I.”

“Somethin' inn't.” Sprot laughed a little. “Ellinae don't care much for humans 'cept for eatin' their nightmares.”

Thomas nodded and smiled a little. “My mother's not human.”

Another silence, this one utterly shocked. Then Sprot snorted and all of his eyes closed as he laughed. “'Splains a lot don't it. No wonder we like you better than all those other Watchers.” More laughter joined his and the meeting ended on a jovial note.

No one asked Thomas what his mother was...that would have been rude, besides, now they felt he was truly one of them.

 

When he got home he sent an email to his mother and left her a voicemail. Whether she would check either any time soon he had no idea. For all he knew she could be hibernating again...which meant he could be dead of old age before she woke up. Not that he could fault her for that. She was thousands of years old...and living could be tiresome at that age.

xxx

Nicky learned quite a bit from Errol about Georgina while they waited for Matty to get out of school. She'd lived in the house next door for fifteen years and had been divorced for seven after she kicked her husband out.

“Sounds like you're happy.”

“Of course I'm happy Nicky, I found the one. It’s an incomparable feeling, finding your soulmate.”

“I just didn't think it was really possible.”

“You can sense the change in me, so you know it is.”

“Yeah. Just going to take some getting used to is all.”

“I suppose, though you might not think so when you find yours.” Errol grinned down at him. “You know when she first saw your car she thought you were a drug dealer.”

“Charming, I can see how you'd like her.”

“And she's lively.”

Nicky held up his hand. “I don't need to know any more than that.”

 

A couple of hours later Nicky was getting ready to leave for work, yet another long night on the night shift. He dashed back into the house for his keys...and Alan parked his truck at the end of their walk. The other man got out of the truck; whole, unharmed, with not a scratch on him and for that Errol was relieved. However he could have done without his sudden appearance.

He reached into the back of his truck and pulled out a bat. “I'm going to teach you a lesson old man.”

Old man, they were nearly the same age. “You want me to call the police?”

“It’s too late for that.”

Wasn't Alan in for a surprise? “Nicky!”

Nicky's timing was perfect as he came back down the walk, badge in hand, he came up even with Errol and introduced himself. “Detective Cole. Can I help you?”

Old Alan turned a seething glare on Errol before huffing and striding back to his truck and leaving. Errol leaned toward his nephew. “That was the reason for my change.”

“Him? What? He swung a bat at you?”

“He was bothering Georgina. He tried to strike her in front of me.”

“And you changed in front of him?”

“Well, I might have tossed him in the river. I don't think he actually saw anything...and he was drunk.”

“Right, we're lucky he didn't drown.”

“I threw him in the shallows.”

“We'll talk about it later.”

“Sure, maybe we can talk about that shirt your missing too.”

Nicky's face darkened with a blush. “It was a casualty of the job.” He left before Errol could say anything more and he laughed as his nephew retreated.

xxx

He couldn't believe he was here, he didn't normally come to such dives, and this particular pub wasn't his sort of place. Dark, dreary, and full of cranky men unsatisfied with their lives. Thomas preferred demon owned pubs to this lot, but he'd gotten a call from one of his contacts about a drunk that was causing a scene.

The bartender caught his eye and motioned him over. “You Proctor?”

“Yes sir.”

“The man you're lookin' fer is out back. Had to throw him out.”

“His tab been settled?”

“Yeah. Thought it best you dealt with him. Most people don't believe in monsters; want to keep it that way.”

“I'll do what I can.”

“Thanks; got a bit of a mixed lot that come in here. Some not exactly friendly to non-humans.”

That made Thomas pause. “Hunters?”

“Nah, but some of them might know a few.”

“If a Hunter comes in you'll let me know?”

“Got a card?”

Thomas pulled out a simple white card with his name, home phone, and mobile numbers. “I appreciate it.”

“Got a half brother that's passing. Don't need anything that will bring trouble down on him.”

They didn't say another word and Thomas went out the back to find the man who'd been causing a scene, raving about a monster stealing his woman. He was slumped against the back wall of the pub, barely conscious.

“Sir, are you alright?”

His eyes opened and he squinted at Thomas. “M'fine.”

“Can I call you a cab?”

“Drove here. I'll drive home.”

“That might not be such a good idea...”

“It’s all his fault.”

“Sir?”

“That monster. He stole Gina from me.”

Thomas knelt beside him, careful not to get his pants muddy. “Gina? Your wife?”

“'Course not. She's at home wonderin' where I am. That monster took my girlfriend.”

“Is she hurt?”

“Who knows. Bastard was human again this evening...lives with a bloody copper. Nothing to be done.”

Thomas pulled a bottle of water out of his coat pocket. “Drink this friend, you won't feel so bad in the morning.”

“Name's Alan.” He took the bottle and chugged it. “Cheers.”

 

It took some doing but Thomas got Alan into his truck and drove him home, luckily the man had his wallet and ID on him with his address. He left Alan in his truck in front of his home and walked for a while. There hadn't been much else to get out of Alan. Apparently he and 'Gina' had a fight and her neighbor interfered. Alan never saw the man 'change' just one moment he'd been in the alley between the houses, the next he was in the Tine.

Luckily Alan wouldn't remember anything, not after the water Thomas had given him; it had a wee bit of forgetting potion mixed into it. His own concoction, but that wouldn't be the end of it. Now he had to stake out the houses where 'Gina' and her neighbor lived. It couldn't be coincidence that the 'change' the neighbor had gone through coincided with the magic he'd felt.

Throw in Ellinae's comment...well...it had been a long time since dragons had been abundant. His mother didn't talk about them much but to his knowledge she hadn't seen another dragon in his lifetime. It might be nice to let her know that dragons were changing again...if she answered his messages.

xxx

The bit of potion Thomas had slipped Alan did the trick and not only did he not end up in a pub ranting about 'monsters'; he didn't go back to face Gina or the man who had protected her from Alan. That was good because Thomas wasn't sure what he would have done if the man had shown up since he was staking out both houses.

He watched both places for weeks, watching the man who had taken up with the woman Gina, her full name was Georgina Hodge, and the man, who was Errol Hill. He had sent off for information on both of them, and hoped it would be enough of a routine check that no one at Head Quarters would be too curious.

Errol tended to stay close to home, or go out with Georgina. He walked a young boy to and from school, sometimes with a younger man, and sometimes not. Errol tended to do all the shopping and most of the chores, taking care of the younger man and the boy. He did dote on Georgina, though sometimes Thomas crept close enough that he thought maybe Mr. Hill was indeed a changed dragon.

He never got too close though...because the one night he'd followed the younger man to his place of work it was to a police station. So he didn't want to do anything suspicious and end up with DS Dominique Cole bringing him in for trespassing and stalking.

 

However, he slipped up.

He'd been watching Errol and Georgina again, they'd been walking along side the river when Errol stepped away from her and shifted into a dragon. The night washed his color out so it looked like his scales were varying shades of silver, but would probably look more like a rainbow in the daylight.

And then the dragon was airborne, sweeping through the air a couple of times, before landing back on the river bank to continue his walk with his soulmate. Satisfied, Thomas left and went home.

Only to find Nicky Cole waiting for him on his front step.

“Some people get off on spying on strangers, me, I prefer a good fight on the telly, maybe a game of football.”

Thomas sighed. “It’s not what you think Detective.”

“And what do I think Mr. Proctor?”

“I'm not a pervert and I'm not thinking to hurt anyone.

“Enlighten me then. Just what are you doing spying on my family and following me around?”

“A while back there was a surge of magic, every non-human in the city felt it.”

“Magic...non-humans...right.”

“The next night a man was in a pub ranting about a monster stealing his woman. He was thrown out and a contact of mine gave me a ring. I looked into it, and the man, whose name was Alan was both right and wrong. The woman in question is with another...but she's not with a monster.”

“Really.”

“She's with a dragon; your uncle and Georgina Hodge are soulmates.”

“You believe in dragons.”

Thomas shrugged. “Play dumb if you want Detective, I want to keep your secrets as much as you do. Dragons were nearly hunted to extinction thousands of years ago, I'm happy to see them making a comeback.”

They stared at one another for a long moment before Cole finally let out a sigh. “Who are you Mr. Proctor?”

“I'm a Watcher.”

“I don't know what that means.”

“It’s a long story...and you're on duty.”

“Come to the house for breakfast, maybe you can tell a part of it at least.”

“Of course.”

xxx

He was there bright and early when Cole arrived at the house; he waited until the Detective got to the yard entrance and then followed him to the house and inside.

“Our stalker has decided to join us for breakfast.”

Errol was at the stove cooking what looked like eggs and waved them toward the table in the small kitchen. “Good, both of you have a seat.”

“Matty still asleep?”

“He is, it’s still much too early for him to be up for school.” He turned to face Thomas. “Errol Hill.”

Thomas shook his hand. “Thomas Proctor.”

Erol smiled at him and his handshake was warm and strong. “Well now I know why you were watching us. I suppose you've never seen another of your kind before.”

“What are you going on about Errol?”

“This boy is like us Nicky, a dragon.”

Thomas sat heavily in the nearest kitchen chair. “What?”

“You didn't know? Did your father or mother not tell you?”

“My father...isn't a dragon. My mother...is complicated.”

“What is her name?”

He blinked up at Errol. “Lara.”

Errol's eyes grew wide and he smiled broadly at Thomas. “One of the oldest of us still lives; tell me Thomas, what does she look like?”

“I look a lot like her actually. Her skin is darker than mine, but our hair is the same, and our eyes.”

“Then my theory was right, the first dragons to hatch in human form weren't white.”

“Well...there are legends of dragons all over the world. Some of the first human hatchlings were dark of skin. Some were white, many were in between.”

“But some were black.”

“Yes sir.”

“You don't have to call me sir. Errol will do, and this one will want you to call him Nicky.”

Nicky sat across from him at the table. “You didn't know you were a dragon Tom?”

“No...I didn't know.”

“But you knew what I was?” Errol asked.

“I watched you change last night...but before that I got close enough to feel you weren't human. I have an excellent sense when it comes to magic and non-humans.”

“You mentioned that last night.” Nicky looked at Errol. “Apparently Tom felt a bit of magic when you changed for Georgina.”

“Everyone in New Castle that's not human felt that.”

Nicky rested his chin on his hands. “So tell me Thomas. What's a Watcher?”

Errol stared at him for a moment. “You're a member of the Council.”

“Just barely, I'm not exactly one of their best. New Castle is the least popular place to be stationed.”

“Why is that?” Nicky wanted to know.

“Because nothing supernatural ever happens here; despite the number of non-humans living in the area.”

“Why don't you start from the beginning?” Errol suggested. “Nicky knows nothing about your Council of Watchers.”

So he did.

xxx

He told them everything he could about the Watchers, the Slayer, and his own part in it all. A third-generation Watcher. One who barely qualified and was a bit of a joke. He told them about the current Slayer, Buffy Summers, and how she had quit the Council, and then how she'd rejoined it on her own terms. Last, he told them about the Dragons in the States.

Errol was shocked to find out about the last, and neither he nor Nicky were sure they wanted to be in contact with the dragons allied with the Council. Errol was distrustful of Watchers and Thomas didn't fault his logic and left the decision to make contact in their hands.

In the end they decided to wait.

Thomas didn't tell his superiors that there were dragons in New Castle, nor did he tell them that he himself was apparently unchanged. Things were fine as they were. Nicky was their Alpha, Errol was their Elder, and Thomas was their liaison to the rest of the non-human community. That was good enough.

Until the day Thomas changed.

XXX

*The Castle is the oldest building in New Castle.


End file.
